Serial Saturday: The Stolen Man, Episode 3-4

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The Stolen Man: Law of the Land, Episode 3-4

(S.M. Table of Contents)

You feel like you should be afraid of Lorelei; after all she tried to leave you in a cage to die. You don’t feel fear though, not of her. You feel mostly puzzled and irritated. Even as you say, “Weird dreams. It was a dream.” you realize that you have said these words before, and not so long ago. Back at the beginning. You quickly follow it up with, “Lorelei? What happened?”

Lorelei pouts, “I’m disappointed in you sweetie, you weren’t quick enough with the codes, now were you? Got a little of the nasty stuff in your lungs. I got the pin prick too, but without the gas, it doesn’t amount too much more than a sore hand.”

Your hand is red and swollen again and throbbing painfully.

“Is that when…Where’s Dan?”

“He does seem to run out on you at the most interesting moments. Left you on the sidewalk to sleep it off without even a bed time story. That’s where they found you anyway. Brought you here to me.”

“What are you going to do to me? “

“Do to you? Why I’m going to take care of you sweetie, just like you always took care of us.”

Something about the look she gives or the way her giggle suddenly sounds slightly sinister as she says these words, adds an ambiguity to her phrasing which you are sure you don’t like.

“You’re going to take me to six, aren’t you? And seven? You work for them?”

Lorelei laughs as if you are sharing an inside joke, which you are completely unaware of, “No baby, I don’t work for seven. I’m here to protect you. Maybe if you were a little more you–well, you’ve always been able to take care of yourself. It’s just that right now, it’s hardly fair, seeing as you don’t even know the rules.”

“The Rules?”

Lorelei sees you startle and asks, “What?”

“It’s just…that’s what Dan.. But no, it wasn’t Dan then. I was on the sidewalk–Well I guess it’s what I’ve been trying to figure out…in my dreams.”

“Working it out, even in your hypnotized hallucinogenic state? Now that’s a trip I’d like to see. No rest for the truth detector, eh?”

“So this,” you indicate your wounded hand, “was just meant for you. It was just an accident that I…”

“Oh boy, you really are off your game. There are no accidents, Greenbacks, sweetie. Not here. It’s all carefully guided and coached by the big players.”

“Six and seven.”

“Sure, yeah them. And others. Others with numbers instead of names.”

“Others?”

“Well, sure, they couldn’t pull of a conspiracy this size by themselves. “

“Conspiracy?”

“Well, sure. That’s the game, moneyman, conspiracy. Government, private, who knows, but protecting the projects in this building, protecting your investments in fact. That’s what it’s all about.”

“My investments? But who’s in charge? Who did I work for? Six?”

“You’re funny, Rockefeller. I suspect Seven’s the one pulling all the strings though, or maybe it’s six. I’m not really sure. At my level it hardly matters. “

“It matters. Titles always matter.”

“Pity about your memory. You’ve forgotten more than I’ll ever know. Speaking of which, I’ve been thinking and I think I might know why they’ve done this to you. You must have heard something.”

“I heard something.”

“Something important.”

“Something important.”

“Something which they knew you’d never forget, because you’re an elephant, love. Maybe a formula. Or a recipe or something?”

“A recipe? You think maybe they did this to protect the Colnel’s secret ingredient?”

Lorelei looks surprised and then laughs.

You continue, thinking about it,“Something important. Yeah, yeah there was.”

“What was it Troy? What was it you heard? It’s Helen, isn’t it?”

“Helen? No. Why do you keep coming back to her? Wait, wait, I almost remember, it was a list…”

Lorelei is looking at you eagerly, but if she’s so eager why is she backing away from you so quickly. No, wait she’s not backing away, it’s you. But you’d really rather not go anywhere. You are very tired. The pain in your hand shoots up your arm and into your head and the world begins to fade to black again. Where are we going now, you vaguely wonder.